Professor M. Qasim Jan obtained BSc Hons (Peshawar), MS (Oregon), PhD (London) degrees, and was awarded Honorary DSc by King’s College London (2009) and Leicester University, UK (2013). He joined Peshawar University in 1968, occupied various academic and administrative positions and retired in 2004. In 1994-95, he was a visiting Professor at the University of Oregon, USA. He has availed prestigious research fellowships/scholarships (Royal Society, Fulbright, British NERC, British Council, USAID, CAS-PIFI), paid academic visits to many institutions, and delivered dozens of invited talks and key-note addresses in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and USA.

Professor M. Qasim Jan has carried out extensive geological investigations of the Himalaya-Karakoram-Kohistan, SE Sindh and Balochistan regions of Pakistan, with emphasis on earth’s crust-building processes, seismicity, geochemistry, petrology, and geodynamic evolution of these mountain belts. His studies provided a broad data-base useful in research, planning, and mineral industry. He participated actively in several national and international research projects, has published hundreds of papers and conference proceedings/abstracts, edited eleven special volumes, and co-authored five books. These have contributed to :

(1) a better understanding of the geodynamic evolution of the NW Himalaya-Kohistan-Karakoram-Hindukush region of Pakistan,

(2) petrologic and tectonic evolution of the lower and middle continental crust in general and Kohistan magmatic arc in particular,

(3) chemical mineralogy of chromite occurrences of Pakistan,

(4) tectonic configuration of gemstones of northern Pakistan,

(5) investigation of natural hazards,  neo-tectonics and earthquakes,

(6) geochemistry and petrology of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Raskoh and Chagai magmatic arcs,

(7) the realization that a) the Nagar Parkar igneous (NP) complex in SE Sindh is indeed an extension of the Malani Igneous Suite, b) the Proterozoic (750 to <800 Ma), A2-type granitoids of NP are emplaced in a calc-alkaline island arc foundation (800+ to 900 Ma) and were followed by bimodal mafic-silicic magmatism, and c) some of the felsic dykes are Permian and possibly related to rifting (never reported before from Malani LIP, and raising the possibility that some mafic dykes in the area might turn out to be even younger and related to latest Cretaceous Deccan volcanic province,

 (8) publication of the seminal book on Geology and Tectonics of Pakistan (Kazmi and Jan 1997; 556 p.),

(9) production of the first reconnaissance geological map of northern Pakistan (Tahirkheli and Jan 1979),

(10) compilation of annotated geological bibliography of northern Pakistan (up to 2002), and

(11) provision of a broad data base useful in research, planning, and mineral industry.

Professor M. Qasim Jan is/was a member of governing bodies of many local and international institutions, peer-review committees, and editorial boards of journals. He served as Interim Minister of Education of KP province, Pakistan (Aug 2023 –Feb 2024), President of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (2018-2020), Vice Chancellor, Peshawar University, Sarhad University and Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad (1997–2010), and Advisor COMSTECH (July 2011–July 2020). In 2004, he was awarded the title of Distinguished National Professor by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, and in 2010 Emeritus Prof in NCE Geology, Peshawar University. Jan is affiliated to many learned bodies/professional societies, and is a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Islamic World Academy of Sciences, Pak. Acad. of Sciences (PAS), Pak. Acad. of Geological Sciences, Nepal Geological Society (Honorary), and Mineralogical Society of Great Britain & Ireland (Emeritus), and Foreign Member (Academician) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2023). He was Vice President (VP; 2011-2014) and Secretary General (SG; 2007-2010) of PAS, SG of the Association of the Academies of Sciences in Asia (2009-2012), Chairman of Himalayan Regional Committee of the International Lithosphere Program (1998-2004), Co-Chair (International) Solar Radiation Governance Management Initiative (2015-17), and VP, Alliance of International Scientific Organizations (ANSO) in the Belt & Road region (2019-2021).

In addition to heavy involvement in teaching and research, as senior Professor and Director, Professor M. Qasim Jan played an important role in developing an academic institution of international reputation in Geology. As VC, his responsibilities have included the overall administration, P&D, HRD, fiscal management, and enhancement of academic and research activities of the universities he headed. He has received many awards and  honours: Pak Civil Awards HI (2010), SI (1999), TI (1994), and Presidential award Izaz-e-Fazeelat (1993); ISESCO Prize in S&T for contributions in Geology (2010); Gold medals from PAS (1980, 1997); Ministry of S&T award for outstanding research publication (1996); National Book Foundation awards–Best book-authorship (Natural Sciences, 1995-97 period), Scientist of the Year (1990), Earth Scientist of the Year (1986); and Distinguished Scientist of the Year award (2009) from PAS. In 2019, he received Life-Time Achievement Award from Pakistan Association of Petroleum Geologists.